The evangelist of love
*** translator's notes are in [ ] brackets
Though KAMIJO ( LAREINE ) and Sanaka ( Fatima ) are now going their separate ways with their own respective bands, in former days they had worked together, being staff to a certain band. Once again that familiar pattern of working together arises, as the two work to catch up. From these two came a discussion ( At night, KAMIJO was relaxing at home alone when Sanaka stopped by ) which revealed the world of aesthetics. Privately, they ate an XX meal and talked intensely about the directions in which their bands were going and their philosophies on love.
You're invited to this lovely world . . .
SHOXX: First off, what do you think of this photoshoot?
KAMIJO: Probably because we already knew each other, we were able to take good pictures together, not rivaling for love. We created such a great atmosphere, and the fact that the two of us could take such good pictures together was amazingly uncanny.
Sanaka: It was a good photo session because the atmosphere was not forced. Indeed, it was very mysterious. Doing this with Fatima is rather simple for me, and even if I'm doing this with people from other bands it can become simple as well. There was once a time that I was a fan and had those conceptions of what was visual kei and further defined it by the atmospheres presented to me by visual kei artists. . . . Hey! ( While looking at a picture ) This really is a good picture, isn't it? ( Laughs ) We're in a bath? ( Laughs )
Everyone: ( Big laugh )
SHOXX: First off, I'd like to ask how the two of you met but . . .
KAMIJO: Carrying baggage. ( Laughs )
SHOXX: A certain band's staff, right? ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: From what I remember of that time, Hitomi ( Sanaka ) was run over by a car . . .
Everyone: ( Big laugh )
KAMIJO: Ran over by the band we were staffing for. ( Laughs )
Sanaka: That happened, huh? ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: In those days I was busy with LAREINE, and Hitomi was involved in a different band . . . What was that name? At that time, he was always coming to the lives to support me and he knew LAREINE songs. We went from this strong of a connection to a long time of blankness.
SHOXX: "Long time of blankness" -- about how long?
KAMIJO: 5 to 6 years. First off, I didn't know about Fatima. I'd heard from someone that Hitomi was the vocalist of Fatima and from the start LAREINE's KAZUMI had been doing things with Sanaka. Last December Mana-san had an event. After that event we held LAREINE's uchiage [ a celebratory drinking party ] and together Sanaka and I ate natto [ fermented soybeans ].
Sanaka: We did eat that, huh? ( Laughs ) But even when there was that blank period between us, I would listen to LAREINE and read their live reports. Basically I always knew what they were up to.
KAMIJO: I had heard a rumor that Sanaka had worn a thong during a live . .. No, it wasn't a rumor, or... Well, I really don't know. I was like, "He probably became some type of sex symbol . . . " ( Laughs )
Sanaka: Only once this year I didn't take something off. The atmosphere became something dirty almost. Visual kei is something taboo and I thought that I needed to become something to match it. But, I'm not really an exhibitionist. It's just the feeling of the moment. ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: Though I don't do those types of things, I'm always wanting to do different things. So I can understand why you do what you do. As for Sanaka, he has character, a serialization in SHOXX and his poetry . . . Those types of things are charming and make you want to talk to such a person more. As for Fatima's style, they decide what to do together and they move forward this way.
Sanaka: It's kind of like this feeling: when bringing up ideas like "I want to do that, I want to do this", whether it's my idea or the idea has some sort of basis, usually other members are receptive, and we all work together. In those times that somebody comes up with a cool idea, if we do them it's good, and that's how we've done things up until now. We've always put deep thought into our activities and actions.
KAMIJO: Myself and LAREINE's activities also seem to be calculated as if by deep thought, but the truth is that this is just how I am, and doing these things is very important to me.
Sanaka: I want to ignore and defy fads. Recently, there have been too many bands that look-alike and are similar; they're not fully considering the visual and hard-shock aspects.
KAMIJO: For now, we'll begin the LAREINE vs Fatima fireworks war. ( Laughs )
SHOXX: Not a live, right? ( Laughs )
Sanaka: Not a live. ( Laughs ) This will be a private affair. ( Laughs ) Before, we've gone cherry blossom viewing and this time we will have our fireworks tournament. ( Laughs )
SHOXX: If you haven't done it yet, I think the fans would like to see that type of thing at a live, rather than at a place where no one could see it. ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: Let's just let it alone. ( Laughs ) It's just our thing.
Sanaka: Doing the photoshoots, having a fireworks war, and eating natto -- these are our things. But, I would like to do a live. If we were to do a live, it wouldn't be your ordinary two man live. It would be an interesting entanglement, indeed. There would be completely different types of fans there.
KAMIJO: Yes, they would be like funky vs elegant fans, wouldn't they?
Sanaka: LAREINE fans will be blissfully smiling when they watch the live . . . My fans, too, express their excitement but there is already some competition between my fans.
KAMIJO: Because Fatima fans are so full of energy -- they're fun, lively and always screaming, I'm envious. Fans are caring lovers, who want to be there. Love is something given, and that grows. But you don't know when you're going to receive love, so with LAREINE I want to give that sense of being in love.
Sanaka: But, surely there are people there who are already in love? At lives I've seen plenty of faces that seem to suggest that feeling.
KAMIJO: And that's good too. I love my fans.
Sanaka: I know what you mean. I like my fans, and doing lives is really fun.
KAMIJO: Fun. Usually, to the women I might seem like a weak man on stage, but I'm always looking into their eyes.
Sanaka: For me, that's difficult. I can't really look into my fans' eyes.
KAMIJO: That's surprising. You'd think you'd be gripping them by their chins. ( Laughs )
Sanaka: That I could be able to do but . . . ( Laughs ) If my eyes meet completely with one other person during a live, it becomes this one on one thing and it's uncomfortable. My heart pounds [ doki doki ] so fast.
SHOXX: Though you two are very different in that KAMIJO-kun can look into fans' eyes and Sanaka-kun cannot, both of your lyrics really express that inner-self. Looking at your lyrics, I'd want to ask about your philosophies on love but . . .
Sanaka: Probably ( my lyrics ) are a combination of real-life experience and things that are already inside of me?
KAMIJO: I don't write about personal experiences, but I do write my feelings and emotions.
Sanaka: Even so, "Metamorphose" was very real, right?
KAMIJO: . . . ( Laughs )
SHOXX: Huh? ( Laughs )
Sanaka: I like poetry that is complex. You can always hear a simple love-song that's pretty much universal. The songs are always like 'I'm the only one who's been hurt' -- that's not the reality of love.
KAMIJO: Hitomi-kun's image -- I'm not really sure if it's what he's saying or how he's saying it that's bad but . . . it seems bad to me. This portion of his love philosphy . . . Doesn't that sound like a bad person? ( Laughs )
Sanaka: What? Noooo . . . How to say this . . . ( Laughs ) I think that's a little distorted. ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: However, that's in the nature of your band, too.
Sanaka: That's not how it is. ( Laughs ) I feel like we're always showing our love. A vocalist can often talk about that, but probably he can write better lyrics if he's actually in love.
KAMIJO: I think so too. But, if you fall in love too much, doesn't it eventually become fake? At your own convenience you invent things in your head and the things you've invented only continue to grow. ( Laughs )
Sanaka: Are you okay? ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: When people listen to a CD is it really fair to make them cry over it? This is strange talk -- but it's life.
Sanaka: ( Big laugh ) For me, that's just the opposite. The true meaning is not completely conveyed to the people listening. The feelings that I hold inside are hinted at in my lyrics and in this way I protect those deep feelings.
KAMIJO: Yes, I understand that. Though there is certainly a place for expression, I conceal myself as well. But I also only convey a little as well. Conveying pain to your fans -- is there satisfaction in that?
Sanaka: It's the reason for existence.
KAMIJO: Hmm... What you've said, Hitomi, I'll keep with me.
Sanaka: There are many things I cannot say because of decency. However, because we're in the position to express ourselves, we've slipped a bit of ourselves out. But what love is ideal?
KAMIJO: At the meeting place my friend doesn't come . . . I want to see if they really won't come. Over there maybe?
Sanaka: What's that all about? ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: That might seem like a hopeless and dreamless way of talking, but because of all the things that doing LAREINE has done for me, such as keeping in mind "say you are good person, and thank yourself;" so even when I think unpleasant thoughts, for me right now that is the best love.
Sanaka: Well, it's good to be hurt sometimes.
KAMIJO: If I were to hurt my partner, I'd be very sad. Because if we were in love, to hurt them would truly be wrongful. I wrote "Metamorphose" but . . . It's inconsistent!
Everyone: ( Big laugh )
Sanaka: I think it's impossible to do music and feel for someone at the same time. You have to have various faces. It's good to draw a precise line and make a boundary. ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: But of course you can't do such a thing if you're thinking about your band 24 hours a day.
Sanaka: But even when I'm not thinking about the band, I'm still fine. ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: Well, don't you worry about things like love?
Sanaka: I worry a lot. Things like not having my way, and being a disagreeable person. I understand that these types of things will become a burden on my partner, and so I'll have to suppress that part of me. Suppressing, suppressing, suppressing -- I'll have to put it into my lyrics. A thing that suppresses completely but . . . ( Laughs )
KAMIJO: I see. ( Laughs )
Sanaka: The ideal would be something heartwarming. That's the best. But that's not the reality. However, it seems that when you're living, unpleasant reality and perspective don't meet. There is probably some of that in the reason for doing music as well.
KAMIJO: I don't usually think about things that are filthy, or unpleasant. I think about the good things, because I know they exist. And I want to believe in those good things.
Sanaka: For me, that's difficult. At this point I don't believe that people can change.
KAMIJO: For our relationship, we both became too busy and weren't sure when we were going to be able to talk again. Even though 5-6 years have passed and suddenly we're here, the parts of us that haven't changed, will not change, or so I think.
Sanaka: That's good isn't it?
KAMIJO: And so, in ten years let's have it be the same as well.
( The two make a promise via their fingers -- a pinky promise )
